back in the saddle?

so...minor setback.  ok, but in my eyes, it's been a major setback.  you know how it is (probably) - doing so well with diet and exercise, seeing results, and then the wheels suddenly fall off and you're not exactly sure how the downward spiral began in the first place.

well, mine began around thanksgiving.  holidays are always a killer for me.  even though i swear again and again that i'm going to play it straight and not overindulge, it just  never happens that way.  mashed potatoes, christmas cookies and deities, and, of course, christmas beers!  oh, the christmas beers.  they get me every year.  i can't help it.  holidays just don't make me scream "let's diet!"

well, this particular holiday season i was in the midst of a women's health scare, and other distractions really didn't help.  yes, i'm making excuses.  and they're stupid.  really stupid.  i of course continued running.  however, counting calories dropped off and i could feel my "size smaller" jeans start getting tighter.  so not pretty. 

well, here we are - almost mid-february, and i'm still not back on the wagon.  it's incredibly frustrating.  a week ago, i was killing my 10th half marathon with a 2:03:15 time (beating my original personal record by 9:30), and within three days was at home in bed, sidelined with a nasty cold.  they say that your immune system is suceptible to infection hours after a grueling workout - perhaps i caught something in those post-race hours?  whatever it was, it was killer.  i mean, killer. 

having not worked out since then, i finally started to feel better yesterday, so i schlepped to the gym today to give it a go, but still to take it easy.  4 miles at a 5.9mph pace, despite an iPod battery malfunction.  (running without music, in my mind, just incredibly blows!).  not so bad, but of course afterwards was craving something fulfilling but also delicious!

so, using my trusty blendtec blender, i mixed the following:

4 oz unsweetened vanilla almond milk (silk brand)

1 very ripe banana

1 tbsp all natural, no salt peanut butter (from Giant Eagle Market District)

6 or 7 ice cubes

(calorie count - approximately 230 calories)

what i ended up with was exactly what i was looking for - delightful!  looked a little something like this (sans the cutsey polka dot straw):

i mean, yum, right?  

i'm really trying to get back on track.  i really miss my flat stomach.  my husband thinks it's all in my head, but he's not wearing my jeans!  

so, give this a try - great post-workout snack!!!!

-ruthie mc